Abstract: To investigate the thyroid function and thyroid nodule status among radiological workers in medical applications, and preliminary explore their correlation with radiological factors, with the aim to provide evidence for radiological protection management. Occupational health examination results of radiological workers from a first class hospital were collected. The participants were grouped based on gender, job positions (classified according to the Occupational Exposure Classification Codes), and years of radiological work experience. The thyroid function test results and thyroid nodule detection rates from thyroid ultrasonography were statistically analyzed. Non-radiological workers served as the control group for comparative analysis. There was no statistically significant difference in thyroid nodule positivity between the observation group and the control group. However, within the observation group, differences in thyroid nodule positivity were observed between males and females. Compared with the control group, TSH levels were different in interventional radiologists (2E) and nuclear medicine personnel (2C), with P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively. FT₄ levels in interventional radiologists (2E) were lower than those in the control group, with P<0.05. The thyroid nodule positivity rate differed between the group with 21-40 years of radiological work experience and the control group, with P<0.05. TSH levels differed between the control group and those with 1-10 years and 21-30 years of radiological work experience, with P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively. Thyroid nodules among radiological workers may not be occupationally related. Differences in TSH levels were observed between the control group and nuclear medicine (2C) and interventional radiology (2E) personnel in the observation group, which may be associated with gender and years of radiological work experience. Whether the elevation of TSH in nuclear medicine personnel is related to exposure to radionuclide iodine requires further investigation.

Key words: radiological workers, occupational health examination, thyroid function, thyroid nodule